Field structure of rational numbers

Written by Patrick Stevens last updated
Requires: Rational number

The rational numbers, being the field_of_fractions of the integers, have the following field structure:

  • Addition is given by
  • Multiplication is given by
  • The identity under addition is
  • The identity under multiplication is
  • The additive inverse of is
  • The multiplicative inverse of (where ) is .

It additionally inherits a total ordering which respects the field structure: if and only if and are both positive or and are both negative. All other information about the ordering can be derived from this fact: if and only if .